Alive
by Nami Swannn
Summary: He was alive, with her, and that was all he needed. One shot continuation of Undying Devotion.


**_*Please read my other fanfic Undying Devotion before reading this, or you'll be extremely lost!*_**

_**Guys, I'm back! Yahoo! -Jumps into air and spins around- Sorry this took so long, but honestly, writing a sex scene was a bit out of my comfort zone. XD Anyways, I hope you enjoy! I missed you all!**_

**Alive**

Night time wrapped itself around the Grand Line like a mother protecting its young from the sunlight. Billions of stars poked through the black curtain of night, circling around the moon as ivory light poured downwards from its waning gibbous form. The Grand Line was the world's largest and most dangerous ocean, but once the sun set, a pregnant calm engulfed the entire ocean, leaving awake only the Marines and Pirates who dutifully watched for signs of attack or suspicious behavior.

The Strawhat Pirates were no exception.

Only one light could be seen glowing off of the anchored Thousand Sunny, emitting a golden haze from the several windows lined up along the walls of the Crow's Nest, signaling that at least one soul on board was awake.

Liara popped her knuckles, a habit her parents had always lectured her about, and set down the pencil she had been holding for the past two hours. She shook her hands to relieve them of cramped tension and reached over to grab the green thermos Robin had so kindly brought up for her about an hour ago. Graphite-covered fingers untwisted the black cap, allowing waves of steam to flow out of the airtight container and fill her nostrils with the pleasant scent of ground coffee beans. Hot liquid streamed down her throat as she took what had to be only her fifth sip of the energizing brew since her shift started two and a half hours ago. She licked her lips and savored the way coffee, cream, and sugar so sweetly coated her mouth. Liara had never really been a large coffee drinker, but she found it pleasant to consume while working for long hours on a detailed drawing, or, in this case, doing night watch.

She wasn't tired, not really. She'd hardly yawned since she climbed up the ladder after sunset. She still felt awake, even though the hour was probably well after midnight. It was her first time doing night shift, as usually the men were the ones who sat protectively by all night until the first golden rays of sun spread its fingertips across the cerulean sea. Robin sometimes did too, for she was a book worm who could read all night with her eyes glued to the pages of an old book from their ship's library.

A part of Liara did feel guilty about how not once she'd even taken over the responsibility of night watch. At first, she'd simply assumed that her turn would arrive and she would then be informed of her responsibilities for the night, but she noticed after a week that turns were being repeated, and yet not her or Nami had been approached on the matter. She decided earlier during dinner that perhaps now would be the time to show her crew mates that she could handle the responsibility.

_"Are you sure, my dear? Me or one of the shitheads on this ship would be more than happy to look out while you get some beauty rest." Sanji sweetly suggested, earning glares and eye rolls from almost all the men in the room._

_ "I'm positive," Liara reassured with a smile. "Besides, I still have a few drawings I'd like to work on, and I feel like I have plenty of energy. As long as I have something to keep me awake I'll be fine. Anyways, I'm part of this crew now too, so it's only fair that I help out."_

_ Nami wrapped an arm around Liara's shoulders. "That's right! Just because we're women doesn't mean we can't handle watching over the ship at night. Don't you agree, Robin?"_

_ The Archaeologist gave a confident smile. " I believe that's a safe assumption."_

_ "It's fine by me," Luffy managed to say between greedy mouthfuls of food. He lifted his hand to avoid being stabbed by Usopp's fork, as he had once again managed to snag something off of the Sharpshooter's plate. He laughed at how frustrated his long-nosed friend looked, causing crumbs to fly out and land on Usopp's face. _

_ "That's it!" Usopp snarled before tackling his captain to the ground. Liara giggled, still amused by how childish her friends could be, and loving them for it.. Brook reached beneath the table and gave her small hand a squeeze._

_ "You'll do fine, but if you feel too tired or would like company come and get me," he offered, his violet eyes gleaming. _

_ Liara grinned up at him. "I'll be okay, but thanks!"_

And just like that, she had landed the duty of night watch, something which she was grateful for, as it had given her the chance to work on putting more images of Fantasia Island onto one of the many sheets of blank paper she had spread around her on the wooden floor. She had feverishly worked on sketching in as much details as possible before they disappeared from her memory, from the leaves on a tree to the way the water glittered under the sunlight that had peeked shyly through the tree branches looming overhead.

She smiled fondly, for she knew she would never be able to forget the place that had changed her life.

She had been with the Strawhats for only about a month and a half, but she had experienced so much more within that short amount of time than the past 22 years of her life. She'd ran away from home, been lost at sea, rescued by pirates, visited two islands, been kidnapped, learned the basics of using her own sword, flown by the magic of fairy dust, found the island she'd been dreaming of since childhood, broken a curse, and even died. Everything she'd gone through had helped mold her in the person she currently was, and although some of the memories were a bit terrifying to recall, they were all still precious to her. The best part of the whole experience though, without a doubt, was being able to fall in love.

Her cheeks turned scarlet as the memory of her and Brook's first kiss filled her head. Her first and absolutely only love had been a skeleton, something that probably would've caused her parents and most other people to flip out, yet seemed perfectly fitting to her. The bond her and Brook shared was sure to be a lasting one, and even though there might be trials ahead in their relationship, there was nobody else she'd rather experience them with than him.

To be truthful though, she was still trying to get used to the fact that Brook was no longer an aged skeleton who cracked skull jokes every five minutes, but a living, breathing and young human man. He himself struggled to get used to the fact that he now had skin covering his rib cage and could no longer go nights without sleeping the way he once did. The tone dial he'd kept hidden in his skull wasn't available to reach at a moment's notice, but instead hidden in a drawer in the men's quarters. Both, however, were pleased to be able to feel each others lips and enjoy the contact of soft skin. They'd never been farther than that, and hadn't felt the necessity to rush anything. They were experiencing being in love for the first time, and it wasn't a process that needed to be quickened, as they had their whole lives ahead of them.

Occasionally, a stray thought of wondering what it would be like to rest her cheek against his chest would wander into Liara's mind, and she honestly didn't mind imagining what the sensation would be like. Her and Brook were both adults, so something sensual was bound to happen eventually. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, trying to fight the warmth that only continued to spread on her face.

A creak on the ladder beneath her suddenly snapped her consciousness back to reality. She grabbed the hilt of her sword Enchantress, which had been conveniently placed against the wall behind her in case of emergency, and cautiously peeked below the door on the floor.

Much to her relief, she saw the familiar ebony afro on Brook's head, his lanky form climbing the ladder with expertise. Liara pulled the hatch back to allow him entrance and returned her sword back to its place against the wall. She smiled at him as he poked his head through the floor with a grin.

"Hello there," he greeted as he pulled his climbed through and swung his lengthy legs up, closing the hatch once his entire person was through.

"Hi," Liara responded as she scooted back against the wall and placed her chin on her bent up knees. "Can't sleep?"

Brook sat next to her and shook his head. "Nope. I'm not sure why, but I'm wide awake. I tried listening to my old crew singing again but that didn't help at all." His violet eyes trailed downwards, and an air of sadness seemed to encircle him. Liara placed her hand in his and squeezed it.

"Missing them again, huh?" she softly asked. She couldn't imagine the sadness he felt when it came to remembering his old crew, but she did miss her parents, so she could at least somewhat understand what he felt.

He rubbed his thumb over the back of her knuckles, not raising his eyes up from the ground. "I just feel like this whole thing is unfair to them. They died, and yet I live. Of course, I don't regret being alive, but I can't help and wonder why out of all of them I am the one who still breathes." He paused and looked at her sadly. "Obviously, I know it's because I ate the Revive-Revive Fruit, but for the longest time I was so lonely that I wish I had just remained dead."

Liara felt her heart breaking as she saw how pained he was. To know that he continually suffered with guilt at being able to live while his friends died must have been hurting him for such a long time, and yet he couldn't really share it because nobody would truly understand. She pulled her hand out of his grip and reached up to stroke his face, her knuckles rubbing softly against his pale skin.

"Brook, you're here for a reason, and I know that if your friends loved you as much as we do, then they wouldn't want you to be unhappy. I think you're alive because you've been given a chance to experience another part of life's story, and they've put all their energy into letting you live again." She suddenly knelt next to him and kissed him on his cheek, causing both of their faces to turn pink. She pulled back and looked down at her fingers in embarrassment. "Besides, who else would I want to kiss but you?"

Brook's face lit up as a smile broke across his lips. He leaned over and lifted her chin up with his fingers, their faces so close to each other that she could feel his breath on her lips. Their eyes met, and Liara felt herself almost melting at how lovingly he looked at her. "I'll be damned if I let anybody else feel those incredible lips of yours," he whispered in a low voice before claiming her mouth.

Her whole body felt light, lighter than when she'd even been floating through the air while dancing with Brook in his skeleton form. While their first kiss as him being human had been sweet and a little sloppy, this one was more passionate. He had never kissed her like that before, and slowly she felt herself turning to putty as their lips melted together in a wave of heat and need. Her mouth opened on instinct, and she gasped as his hot tongue entered her mouth.

Was it truly possible that he'd never had a lover before? He was kissing her the way one might after having been with numerous partners, or at least had enough practice in the act. She always knew kissing could feel wonderful but this...this felt so much more exquisite than she'd ever imagined.

Liara boldly pressed her tongue back against his, earning a groan from him, signaling that she was at least doing something right. Fighting off the shyness that crept into her mind, she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. He placed one hand on her upper back and the other securely around her waist. Their tongues danced around as they explored each others mouths, sliding across and tasting every possible area.

When at last air became scarce, Brook slowly pulled away and gazed at her. Both were slightly panting, trying to catch their breath, but kept their hands in the same positions. He placed his forehead against hers and rubbed their noses together.

"I'm not going to lie, Miss Liara, I really want you," he confessed in a husky voice as he raised a hand up and stroked her face, his eyelids closed.

She gulped and stared at him, completely speechless. No man had ever wanted her before, and she'd never considered herself worth wanting, yet the one in front of her had confessed of his desire to have her. Her heart pounded and her whole body felt like it was going to explode from the nerves she had, but she knew that she wanted him just as badly. She had for a while, but it hadn't seemed so clear until tonight. Liara loved Brook with all her heart, and she was going to prove it.

"Brook," she whispered as she placed her mouth against his, "I want you too." Her face grew hot as the confession escaped her lips, and she knew that they were about to cross the point of no return. She truly felt a bit silly, and realized that their exchange of words was perhaps a bit too sweet, but it was enough for her and all she truly needed to hear and say.

He kissed her back before pulling his face away and earnestly searching her eyes. "I love you Liara, and I'll wait if you want me to. Please don't feel that we have to do anything." His eyes held a tender gaze, one only meant for her.

She steadied herself, trying to ignore the pleasurable pressure that had start throbbing between her legs. It was a powerful, new feeling for her, and it felt wonderful. Her anxiety vanished as she wished for nothing more than to have her desires sated.

"I'm sure," she assured him, and before she could stop herself, leaned in again for a kiss. This time, she was the one who pushed her tongue into his mouth, sliding between his lips with ease as she sought to taste him. Brook wrapped his arms around Liara's waist and pulled her onto his lap without breaking the kiss, her legs straddling him and heels pressed right above his buttocks. His fingers suddenly slid up the back of her light red pajama shirt, her soft skin heating up his fingertips with every light stroke. Carefully, he pushed her backwards so she was laying on her back, arms still firmly wrapped around his neck. Her fingers combed into his ebony hair as she urged him to deepen the kiss even more, their tongues swirling around each other as they dived in into each others mouths as deep as possible.

Brook pulled his tongue out of Liara's mouth and kissed her cheek before crawling over to grab a couple blankets that were folded neatly near the wall. Liara gave a grateful smile as he placed one under her head and the other beneath her body, her back arching up into a bow shape so he could could have room to set the blanket down. His eyes drank in the sight of her body as a hint of her stomach peeked out beneath her shirt, taunting him to reach out and reveal more. Her back flattened against the floor once more once he finished laying out the blue spread beneath her.

He leaned over her and placed his hands on her peach-colored stomach, studying her eyes for an traces of uneasiness. Instead, they seemed to beckon him onward, eager for his touch.

"I'm going to take your shirt off," he told her, licking his lips nervously. Brook almost felt pathetic; he was 24, well, technically 90, and he'd had yet to even feel or see the breasts of a woman. Liara was his first for many things: first love, first kiss, and now the first woman he would willingly display himself to. He knew he was also the first man that Liara would be experiencing this with, and he didn't want to ruin such a precious moment. Even though she'd given him the okay only a moment ago to make love to her, he was still a bit hesitant in pushing her into something she might not feel comfortable with.

Liara beamed up at him, her lips twisting upward into a shy smile. "You don't have to tell me, Brook. I trust you, and I want to experience this with you. Don't ask, just do what you would like." To further her point, she grabbed his hands and forced them to cup her breasts, an involuntary sigh passing between her lips at the pleasant sensation.

It was all the confirmation he needed.

In an instant, his hands reluctantly let go of her chest and eagerly gripped the bottom of her shirt, slowly pulling the soft material upward. He watched as her cheeks darkened into a light shade of red, his eyes not leaving hers as he continued to slide the shirt up until it slid up her arms and over her head. He tossed it to the side.

Without breaking eye contact, Liara sat up and grab the hem of Brook's black shirt, and yanked it up his long arms and over his afro. She giggled at the slight challenge his hair provided before she also tossed his shirt to the side. She impatiently kissed him and slipped her materials beneath the top of his pants before hastily sliding down. He helped by kicking the bothersome fabric off of his feet.

Next came his boxers, which snuggled nicely against his slim waist, and slid off in one fluid motion. He was completely revealed now, but they still continued to kiss, not wanting to see the other until both were nude. Brook's long fingers glided under Liara's dark red pajama pants, hooking underneath the top of her underwear as well. He dragged down the two remaining items on her that separated their bodies from complete contact, and laid her back down. They both sighed in each others mouths as they knew the moment had finally come when they would be able to see all of what was private to the other, and yet had enough trust in each other to reveal themselves. The kiss ended, and both eagerly allowed their eyes to drift.

Liara stared at Brook's body in amazement. Just as his form indicated, he was lean with only a bit of muscle on his arms from sword fighting. His nipples were a light shade of red, surrounded by small black curls that covered the middle of his chest and trailed down past his stomach. She swallowed as her eyes rested on his manhood, which she was pleased to see was erect in her presence. She had never seen an actual penis before, so she didn't really have anything else to compare it to, in regards to whether he was long or not. Still, she found herself not really caring, as it belonged to Brook, and that made it perfect.

As Liara's eyes scanned his body, Brook himself was studying every inch of flesh belonging to the woman beneath him.

Good God, she was breathtakingly beautiful!

Her chest heaved up and down with every deep breath she took, causing her hardened pink nipples to rise up towards him, only to lower in a teasing matter. The area between her legs had soft curls of brown that rested over her desirable vertical lips. Her cheeks were flushed under his lustful gaze, wet lips parted and hair spread around her head.

He could recall the not so distant time he'd been a skeleton, hovering over Liara just as he was doing now, both wet from their swim in Cerulean Lake. Brook had desired her then, and he sure as hell wanted her now.

"Oh Liara," he moaned, laying his chest on hers as he resumed kissing her, her arms tightening around his neck. "You...are...so...beautiful..." he whispered to her in between kisses. His hand cupped her right breast, his long fingers rubbing circular motions on her nipple. The mound of flesh on her chest felt so incredibly soft in his hand, and the way she moaned in his mouth from his caress only caused his erection to grow even harder.

Their mouths separated as Brook began a trail of kisses along Liara's neck, occasionally sucking and giving little licks with his tongue. She tangled her fingers in his hair, allowing his curls to twist around her fingertips as she pleasantly sighed. Slowly, he moved downward, placing a kiss on her breast and swirling his tongue around her nipple, using his free hand to grope her other breast.

"This feels...so nice," she whispered, her voice laced with lust and wanting. Her breathing grew heavier as his kisses trailed down her stomach, nearing her most private place. He kissed her inner thighs, tongue occasionally lapping against her skin. A small knot of pain had formed in Liara's stomach, and although it was something she'd never experienced before, she immediately realized it was from desire.

A heavy blush spread across her cheeks as she felt Brook's fingers spread apart her lips, his eyes examining with fascination.

"Please don't stare, it's embarrass-ah!" Her head titled backwards as she felt his tongue slide across her tenderest part, her legs spreading apart automatically to allow him more access. She'd never felt such an amazing feeling before! In the past, she'd experimented by touching herself a few times due to curiosity, and while the experience had been pleasant, her fingers had grown tired and she wasn't entirely sure if she'd been doing it correctly, especially when compared to this.

Heat climbed up her body as her toes curled. He'd only been licking her for about minute and already she could feel the intense feeling in her lower region building up. Her mouth parted open into a silent scream as her back arched up and her eyes squeezed shut, face flushed and heart pounding beneath her ribs. Her body shook as waves of pleasure suddenly overtook her, her fingers clenching the back of Brook's head tightly as he continued to taste her until her body collapsed in an exhausted heap. He pulled back with a smile and crawled over her so he could plant a kiss on her forehead, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the sound of her trying to catch her breath.

When her chest had at last stopped heaving so much, she reached upward and snaked her arms around his neck, pulling him towards her so their noses and foreheads pressed into each other. "Was...was it awful, to taste me?" she shyly asked, her face still crimson from pleasure.

Brook leaned down and tangled their lips together, his tongue swiping at hers . Liara emitted a moan, her own taste mingled onto her tongue. It wasn't delicious, but not unpleasant either. It was tolerable, and that eased her tremendously, knowing that the experience hadn't been completely horrible for the man who kissed her like she was the only thing he needed in life.

Their lips parted at last, once more leaving Liara gasping for breath as her blue eyes mingled with his violet ones. He gently stroked her cheek, rubbing his thumb over her soft skin. "So, my Liara what do you think?" His voice was low and sent a shiver up her spine, his tongue licking his lips as if he couldn't get enough of her.

"I think...it was perhaps not unpleasant," she confessed, her eyes continuing to be focused on his, as she wanted to show her honesty, though at the same time she wished to look away in embarrassment. She wasn't used to experiencing such things, and talking about it invoked a child-like shyness in her. "Thank you, though, for doing that for me," she added before pulling him in for another kiss, their hands roaming around on each others bodies. As she pressed her thighs against his, she let out a surprised gasp as she felt something hard rubbing against her stomach. Brook let out a pleased sigh at the contact, and Liara realized that he also deserved to experience the same pleasure she had.

She wasn't a fool. While she may not have had any sexual experience prior to that moment, she knew what was going to happen next. The air was filled with the sudden tension of desire, and judging by the lustful gaze in Brook's eyes and his darkened cheeks, he was more than ready to take become one with her.

His fingers trailed down her face, his thumb rubbing at the soft skin just below her jaw. "This is going to be a little painful," he warned, searching her face for any signs of wanting to back out.

Liara knew it was going to hurt, and wasn't looking forward to the pain. She was thankful that her mother had initiated "the talk" with her when she was younger, giving information that piqued a child's curiosity about the sexual world, warning of pain and wanting and what signs should be ignored. Of course, there had also been the steamy romance novels she'd happened across in her mother's room, leaving her with a face the color of a ripe tomato!

However, she knew that eventually she would probably be experiencing the pain at some point or another, and while she was a little scared, the moment felt right and they were both ready to merge their bodies together. It was something she wanted to fully experience with Brook, and she wasn't going to back out.

She trailed her fingertips down his chest. "I know, and while I'm nervous, I'm also ready."

He kissed her on her forehead, as if he was thanking her for allowing him the opportunity to sate his desire. He positioned himself between Liara's legs, his right hand placed around his member as he lowered it to her entrance. Slowly, he began pushing himself into her, watching for any signs of discomfort.

It wasn't entirely unpleasant at first, just a bit uncomfortable. However, when he was about halfway through, a sharp pain that made her feel like she was breaking apart brought tears to her eyes. She bit her lip and urged him forward, knowing he wouldn't hesitate to pull out just to ease his discomfort. He firmly pushed himself in deeper until he was completely inside her, earning a whimper from her as tears fell down her cheeks at the sudden shock of increased pain. He lovingly stroked her face, kissing her on the cheek as he waited for her body to adjust to his presence inside her. When the shaking and tears stopped, he pulled back and then slid forward, repeating the process a few times before thrusting into her. She managed to lift her legs up and wrap them around his back as she secured her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss as they made love. Eventually the pain faded away, and while what she felt wasn't the pleasure she had felt when Brook licked her, it was still a nice feeling that earned sighs from her as they kissed and moved together.

Brook lifted his head up, panting as beads of sweat lined up along his forehead. "Liara..I'm getting close. I'm going to pull out, and if I get anything on you I'm sorry." With one final thrust he pulled himself out, and began pumping himself. It was one of the most erotic things Liara had ever seen, to watch the man she loved so much pleasuring himself and succumbing to nearly inhuman sounds of pleasure as he leaned backward, supporting himself with one arm and his mouth formed in the shape of an O.

Her eyes widened in surprise as a milky white substance squirted out of him, his hand quickly covering the top of his cock to prevent any of the liquid from landing on Liara. When it had finally stopped, Brook laid down on his back, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath. Liara beamed as she realized they were both able to fully experience pleasure during their first time together, and while it hadn't been like anything she'd read from her mother's books, it was still certainly a memorable experience that she would forever cherish and look back on if she were to ever favor the feeling of blushing.

"I suppose we'll just have to throw this blanket out and not tell anybody," Brook suggested with a smirk and he rubbed his white-coated fingers on the fabric below him to rid himself of his sticky seed. "Next time, we'll be much neater, especially since I plan on buying condoms at the next island we go to." He chuckled, and the corners of her mouth tipped upwards. "Besides, I doubt you'll be bleeding the next time I enter you."

"Bleeding?" She glanced down and squeaked in surprise as she saw a small sliver of blood sliding down her inner thigh. Of course! How could she forget that most girls bled when they lost their virginity! Her cheeks grew scarlet as she quickly used the other side of the blanket to wipe away her mess, and cradled herself against his side, where he welcomed her with an extended arm. She smiled and pressed her cheek into his chest as he stroked her hair. "So, does this make us lovers now?"

His chest rumbled with laughter and he bent down and kiss the top of her head. "Yes, my dear, I suppose so." It was silent for a minute, save the gentle sounds of their breathing as they relaxed against each other, enjoying the afterglow. His fingers danced down Liara's back, sending a shiver up her spine as he smiled into her hair. "You know what the best part about all this is though?"

"Hmm?"

"I didn't even have to ask to see your panties."


End file.
